Thread: Pond Maintenance

Ok this is a two part question,One construction is slow this year and it seems I'm working just to pay employee's how many of you just do maintenance and repairs on ponds and don't install and is it working out better for you. Two what are you charging for monthly maintenance and repairs. The reason I'm asking is I'm thinking of not installing anymore just because of over head cost of having employee's. What are your thoughts.

As long as the economy sucks, installations are going to be few and far between.

Service contracts can be a life-saving source of revenue that will get you through the winter months.

I have not had any permanent employees for 5 years. All I use is Temp help, so I only have labor overhead when I have a demand. No carrying deadweight on the books. In addition, the temp agency handles all of the payroll paperwork.

Service/maintenance contract pricing is based on several factors: your hourly labor rate; distance of travel to and from site; services provided in the contract; frequency of service visits (weekly, monthly, quarterly). Service/maintenance contracts should be structured in a manner that will convince the customer that they are getting extra value for their money. Value of services received is the prime selling factor for service/maintenance contracts.

You say that you are going to quit installing. Does that mean if someone asks you to install a 6,000 gallon pond, you are going to turn them down? Sure you will!!!

Guess I'm lucky I'm booked for installs till end of august.. But to answer your question I build all of our ponds w one helper and when our large jobs come in I pull a guy from our hardescapes side usually the owner lol.. We do everything including maintenance n service stops. Most of the income comes from cleanings in the springtime until the installs start booking. We do about 100 to 150 cleanings or so from march through may and then usually the installs start. Around here there are ponds everywhere so we stay busy for 10 out of 12 months. I've done a lot marketing to large landscape companies and we do all of their pond work so that helps a lot. I've been doing this for a long time so our rep is out their for quality so most don't even bother going anywhere else. I would definately not stop installing ponds.. Cut overhead but not pond building if me and one guy can build a 10000 gallon I'm sure u and one other could do the job as well.. Lol maintenance is too sporadic to just rely on it.Posted via Mobile Device

We are booked until september as well but 100-150 pond cleanouts? I don't think we have that many ponds in all of STL. Most people around here won't pay for pond maintenance until it's a swamp, than they complain about the pricing.

We are booked until september as well but 100-150 pond cleanouts? I don't think we have that many ponds in all of STL. Most people around here won't pay for pond maintenance until it's a swamp, than they complain about the pricing.

I will always do installs but maybe pick and choose the projects.

This illustrates that every demographic area is different when it comes to economy. That is why it is pointless to ask on this forum what someone else charges for a service in $ amounts.

Lol.. Yea there are some areas I service that has a pond every 3 houses it seems but there is definatly no shortages of ponds around here.. People around here are already schedule for next year for cleanouts.. My service area is around 150 miles so I'm get work from Cincinnat n Columbus areas lots of money here.. I'm currently working in Murfield viilage home of the Memorial tourny for golf..Posted via Mobile Device

Lol.. Yea there are some areas I service that has a pond every 3 houses it seems but there is definatly no shortages of ponds around here.. People around here are already schedule for next year for cleanouts.. My service area is around 150 miles so I'm get work from Cincinnat n Columbus areas lots of money here.. I'm currently working in Murfield viilage home of the Memorial tourny for golf..Posted via Mobile Device

Can you use some quasi-experienced help. Keith and I may consider moving.